With Their Blessing
by gingerpotter79
Summary: Non-Cannon! The war is over and they are all mourning those they lost. Harry and Tonks are there for each other as they both mourn what they have lost and seek to give Teddy a normal life.
1. Mouring Hearts

Harry sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, staring into the flames of the fireplace. He felt numb, his mind blurred between memories of the past and the realities of now. He wanted to disappear, just leave, away from all of it. The war with Voldemort was over, but the cost was heavy. So many lives, gone, erased, much too soon. Though many of his friends had survived, several, ones had not and his heart broke as he thought of them. One in particular stung him to the very core. A sob caught in his throat as he thought of her. He had seen her fall, seen her life slip away in a crack of Bellatrix's wand. Ginny Weasley was dead, the girl he loved was gone, and he never got to even tell her that. She had been dueling with Bellatrix and had taken a step back when she caught site of her mother coming to her aide. That split second was all it took. Bellatrix cast the killing curse and in the flash of green she was dead. Molly just as quickly turned and slashed her wand and Bellatrix herself fell dead. She then collapsed pulling her too her as she keened for her only daughter. Harry began to cry as he remembered it happening. All the faces of those he lost and their loved ones mourning them overwhelmed him. Lupin was gone too, Tonks had thankfully survived. George and Fred were badly injured but alive; Fred had lost a finger though. Lavender Brown was dead, as was Colin Creevy. Dean Thomas had also been lost, when he took on three death eaters at once. He wiped the tear away as he heard the door open. He saw Hermione climb in and make her way over to him. She sat on the arm of the chair and wrapped her arms around him and they cried together for a while. She then shifted to the floor in front and sat crossed leg, and looked up at him.

"Harry, I know you are blaming yourself for Ginny, and everyone else. You have to stop. We all CHOSE to fight, not for you, but for ourselves and our world. We fought back against Voldemort and everything he stood for. We fought WITH you, not FOR you. Voldemort FEARED you Harry, that is true, and he did want you dead, but we did not fight to protect you or save you, we had to save our world for all of us. That is what you wanted too, that is why you were willing to sacrifice your own life for. So were the rest of us, we knew the risks, we knew we could die and we fought anyway. The ONLY blame lies with Voldemort and those who supported him and fought for him. That is over now, Voldemort is dead, his followers are dead or gone off to hide. We mourn who we lost, but we will honor them as well and we will never forget them and the sacrifice they gave up to save us all." she said with fervor as she looked directly into his eyes.

Harry broke under her words and the emotion of the last year and especially the last few days. He began to sob, his whole body consumed. Hermione got on her knees and held her friend and stayed calm. He needed her strength now, all his was spent. She had wept for an hour in Ron's arms her before she came to check on Harry. He needed them now almost more than he had in the last year. Bearing grief alone would not be something any of them would have to do. After a very long time, Harry began to gulp air and took several long shaking breaths. Hermione silently conjured tissues, a warm cloth and a shot of fire whiskey. He downed the shot and felt the warmth spread in his chest. He blew his nose and wiped his face as Hermione moved to the chair next to him and conjured herself a shot as well as a strong hot cup of tea for each of them. They sat in silence for a long while, so long that soon they heard the portrait swing open, and heard voices talking in solemn tones as they came closer. Several Gryffindor entered the room and quietly moved upstairs toward the dorms. They were followed by Neville, Fred, George, Percy, Ron, Bill, Fleur, Charlie and lastly Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley made a beeline for Harry and wrapped him in one of her crushing hugs. She cupped his face in her hands then and kissed his cheeks.

"I am so very glad to see your face. I could not have done with losing another son." she said her voice quivering, her eyes brimmed with tears. Arthur came and put his hand on Harry's shoulder and an arm around Molly. He soon pulled Molly over to sit down. She was too fragile to stand for too long still.

"Alright, all, those with dorm beds, head on up to sleep. We all need sleep; I will conjure some beds for the rest of us. I want us all to stay close together tonight. Now off to bead all of you." he hugged all his Children goodnight then he and Percy took their wands and moved furniture away and set up several cots for all of them. He conjured two extra large ones for him and Molly and Bill and Fleur.

Harry and Ron headed up to the dorms. The rest of the Gryffindor's from their year were sitting on their beds, talking quietly. Neville got up and went to Harry and the young men embraced for a long moment, and then hugged Ron as well.

"McGonagall said to send you to see her in the morning when you're up for it Harry. I think it's about the funerals. Those who will be buried here will be taken care of by the undertakers from Hogsmeade and some from London who are coming to help. The families should all be arriving tomorrow early. Gran is coming in too, for once I am actually looking forward to seeing her." he said, looking as drained as they all did. No one was much in the mood for talking, so they all climbed into their beds and were soon fast asleep.


	2. A New Dawn

Harry woke to the sound of quiet voices in the dorm room, his hand tightly gripping his wand, even in his sleep. He was drenched in sweat too; he had replayed everything in his dreams. He pushed the curtain back and stood up. All the others were already up and in various states of dress. Harry quickly got dressed and made his way down to the common room. The house elves had set up a breakfast buffet there. The great hall was still being used as a place of mourning, as families arrived to claim their loved ones. Harry filled a plate and sat down near Hermione and stared at his plate. He slowly began to eat but did so out of habit. He soon realized how hungry he was, it had been 2 days since he had anything to eat. He quickly finished his plate and made another.

"We need to go see the Headmistress as soon as we are done eating", Hermione said. Harry and Ron both nodded as the y both ate hungrily. Soon they were on their way to through the halls to the office that now belonged to Headmistress McGonagall. Luckily Hermione knew the password.

"Dumbledore" she said with a slight smile. The statue moved to one side and the three friends climbed the spiral staircase. The Headmistress was at her desk pouring over several scrolls of parchment and making notes on another. She put her quill down when she saw them.

"Good morning. I need to discuss some things with the three of you and your input will be greatly appreciated. Several of the families of the deceased want their loved ones buried here at Hogwarts. I am just not sure the right place to do it."

"By the lake," Harry said quickly. "It's one of everyone's favorite spots. It's where everyone goes when the weather is nice and has been for generations. Do it there"

Ron and Hermione nodded in silent agreement.

"I agree, Mr. Potter. And I many have also expressed an interest in cremation instead of burial. I was thinking a large memorial mausoleum with some landscaping and benches would be nice. A place for those who loved them to come visit and remember them."

They all agreed that was the best way to go about the somber occasion. It would take the magic of several people to create it. The three friends agreed to meet up with the Headmistress and some others to build the memorial later that day. The funerals would begin in two days and would be followed by a large memorial feast afterwards in the great hall.

The three of them went down to the great hall after their meeting with McGonagall. There were many more people there today. Madame Pomfrey and several healers from St Mungo's were on hand to give calming draughts and in some cases sleeping potions for those unable to sleep due to their grief. Harry was with the Creevy family giving them his condolences when he saw Tonks enter the Hall carrying a baby boy with bright purple hair. Teddy, his godson and her mother was with her as well. He excused himself and made a beeline for them.

"Tonks, hi, I..." he was lost for words as he began to cry. Tonks quickly gave the baby to her mother and wrapped her arms around Harry and soon they were both crying together. They stood that way till they both calmed. The pulled apart and Tonks summoned handkerchiefs for both of them. They moved over to one of the tables and sat down.

"May I hold him?" Harry asked Tonks. She nodded in reply and handed her son to his godfather. Harry held the chubby cheeked little boy who made direct eye contact with him and babbled and smiled at him, and his hair changed to a bright shade of purple. Harry smiled back at him. Feeling more at peace than he had in a very long time.

"I hope you will allow me to be in his life, a lot. I want to be there for him. I want to teach him all that his dad taught me." He said still staring at the boy. When he looked up Tonks had tears in her eyes as well.

"Harry, nothing would please me more. It was what Remus wanted too. It is why we picked you."

Harry handed Teddy back to the outstretched arms of his mother. She seemed to cling to her son more now that her husband was gone. She began to rock him back and forth silently. She changed her hair to match his whenever he changed it. Soon his eyelids drooped and he was sound asleep. As Harry watched them he suddenly remembered a muggle baby accessory that would allow Tonks to keep Teddy close and keep her hand free. He pulled out his wand and summoned a long piece of cloth that folded itself neatly on the table in front of him. Tonks looked at him questioningly.

"It's a Muggle thing I'm not sure what it's called, but I think I remember how it's supposed to work. Stand up, I'll show you"

Tonks stood up carefully, Teddy still sound asleep. Carefully Harry wound the fabric into a sling that then wrapped around Tonk's shoulders and waist and gently and firmly held Teddy close to her body. She blushed slightly when Harry wrapped his arms around her Torso. He explained each step, so she could repeat it herself whenever she needed. Soon she was standing with Teddy strapped to her and her hands were both free.

"Well I guess Muggles do have a few good ideas" she said with a chuckle. "Thank you Harry. I like keeping him close to me; it's the only way I can keep Remus close right now."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"Have you decided where you will lay Remus to rest?" he asked sitting down again.

"Here of course. It is what he would have wanted; his ashes will be interred with the others in the memorial"

"Oh, yeah, I better get going, I'm helping to build it with several others. I had better be going. Thanks for letting me see Teddy. I needed it...more than I knew" he said with a sad smile. He got up and walked to Ron and Hermione and the three headed to the lake shore.

When they arrived at the spot near the lake that had been agreed upon by everyone, they found a large group assembled. Percy, George, Fred, Charlie and Arthur Weasely were there. As well as Headmistress McGonagall and many of the Professors from Hogwarts as well as a handful of other students, from every house. Not one house had not been dealt losses. McGonagall called everyone to attention and pulled out her wand and summoned a large board on which was a well thought out design for the memorial. It included a large memorial mausoleum and landscaping designed by Professor Grubly Plank. It involved a carving of each Houses Mascot animal on each roof corner. The work took a lot of concentration and the magic was very elaborate. Harry enjoyed it though, the focus of it allowed him to now dwell on the upcoming funerals, and of the loss of so many he loved. They finally finished their work the next day as the sun was setting. They all stood back and looked at the memorial in silence. Harry walked around the memorial in silence looking at the names of all those who would be laid to rest there. He stopped when he spotted her name. Ginerva Molly Weasley, he traced the letters with his fingers, he rested his head against the cool marble and let the tears wash over him. He and Ginny had never got to solidify their relationship, but he had loved her, and he knew she had loved him. They had never talked about how they felt but it had been undeniable. Soon he felt a hand on his shoulder; he turned and saw the face of Molly Weasley. He had no idea what to say, but he didn't need too. Molly pulled him into one of her massive mum hugs, and let him cry. For several minutes they shared in their grief of her young life cut short. Soon they all walked back to the castle for dinner, some of them arm in arm. They all needed each other now, more than ever.


End file.
